are you off the naughty words?

This has to be my favorite holiday 'mercial!

Samuel L. Jackson has been touting Capital One for quite some time and has now recruited his "Pulp Fiction" co-star to help out.

Yes, indeed, I speak of the wondrously talented dancing machine, John Travolta!

Trust me, that's him done up as Santa - his voice and his eyes are unmistakable!

So, near 'mercial's end, Mister Jackson asks if his help has gotten him off the 'naughty list'.

That's when Santa - who has been known to spout his share of curse words in the film world - asks his question.

A querulous "Yes", with a slight head wag, is the response given.

"Ho Ho Ho!", the frost-bearded one replies. "I don't think so."

Hahahaha!

It makes me laugh every time!

The F-bomb has been uttered far more often by me this year than in years past, but not nearly as often as it once was when I was a young sailor.

It remains my favorite curse word and I don't see me stopping its use any time soon, if ever.

Seriously.

There's just something so satisfying about its sound...

I think Santa would understand me keeping just that one...

especially as 2020 has been particularly aggravating...

especially given this Santa's true identity.

Yes, I think I can keep this one naughty word and still not get a lump of coal.

(smile!)

carpenters, cobblers, and cops, oh, my!

This is how I'll be ending this evening: in the company of police officers Al and John, of the LAPD and the NYPD, respectively.

And why wouldn't I?

The two cops have been my boon companions for the last two nights, perking up my spirits and putting me into a holiday frame of mind!

Before that, I'll have a visit with a cobbler trying to save his father's shoe factory by joining forces with a boxing champion cum drag queen.

No, seriously, that's the plot!

I had never even heard of this musical until I watched it at Asbury Memorial - was it just last year? maybe longer ago? - on a movie night in the community center.

So looking forward to having it on the silver screen at my druge AMC!

(smile!)

(Inside joke for the ex to enjoy!)

Speaking of AMC - the church, I mean, not the cinema - I was sure to be 'there' this morning.

It's the first Sunday of the month, so that means communion!

I had my shortbread cookie - saved since last month's first Sunday - and cup of coffee ready to go!

The service was a bit off for me, though.

I liked that it was about Joseph, the carpenter stepdad of Jesus, but there was a misstep.

Joseph wouldn't have read the Bible - that did not exist, and would not for several hundred years.

Joseph would have been reading the Torah, as he - like Jesus - was Jewish.

It would have still been unusual for a layperson like Joseph to read that religious document, as the rabbis were the ones who did so.

So, to have talked about that point to accentuate the different mindset that Joseph had compared to others of his time would have been a very valid point.

To repeatedly say that he "read the Bible" was untrue.

I think I'll have to take that up with Reverend Hester.

But not right now.

I have a musical to watch... and it will start promptly at 3 PM!

Later!

short and sweet!

Nothing like an impromptu visit with great-nieces to provide an entertaining interlude!

(smile!)

The two had been to church to receive gifts and visit with Santa, so their mom had dressed them up for the occasion - very nice!

Then she'd brought them over to my place so they could have some time out of the car - and visit with me - and play with the little flamingos in the front yards, running from the

magnolia to the pear tree and back - and visit with me - and bounce up and down my few porch steps to admire the flamingoes on the wreath - and visit with me!

How wonderful!

Then, of course, naught would do but for them to go inside and see what decorations I had out!

That was fortuitous, actually.

I'd been trying to clean off the holiday unicorn plush toys that I'd had for - what, more than thirty years, right?

Littlest girl grabbed it up and proceeded to gallop - no, really! - around in the living room, neighing as she went!

Miss Chlo looked a little forlorn until I fetched forth the matching one and gave it to her.

Oh, yes, time to frolic as if on a spring meadow!

(smile!)

All too soon, I had to head out for a prearranged outing and they needed to go meet up with Daddy for dinner.

Time to get back into the car, but now the two girls would be accompanied by 'corns.

Not just any unicorns, either, but antique ones full of the spirit of the season, sporting festive holly wreaths around their necks!

(smile!)

How blessed I was to share that joy with them and my first niece!

i thank You, God!

not an elf, but a ballet dancer

"Die Hard" is most def one of my favorite Christmas movies!

Sure, it's an action flick and has quite a lot of death and destruction going on -

yeah, I'll definitely confirm that.

But the movie has a lot of heart and a lot of silliness, too, to offset the violence.

And that ending...

well, that ending couldn't be any prettier if it had tinsel all over it!

What a blessing to have it in the cinema for Week 15 of my A*List!

I intend to see it every night, too, as well as two new movies that just started and two Fathom matinee events tomorrow and Sunday.

That should make up for seeing no movies at the cinema last weekend, when it was cold and rainy and nothing new-to-me was playing.

Yes, I am very much still a busy, vibrant, woman, even during a pandemic.

That said, sometimes I need time at home, and after eight hours of playing with children last Friday, staying home was needed.

Tonight, though, I was out and about again!

And tomorrow and Sunday evenings will end with the company of Bruce and Alan and Alexander, kicking butt like a bunch of cowboys -

such a yippe-ki-ay mo...vie!

Woohoo!!!

Tonight, it was such a delight to share the movie with at least ten others, all delighting in the familiar one-liners and Bruce's panning to the camera -

how wonderful to share the laughter of others!

I had to wonder, though, how many of them appreciated the delicacy of the movements and the power behind the kicks delivered by athletic legs that had spent decades dancing for Russian audiences, delighting adults and children alike.

Oh, yes, the fight scene between Bruce Willis and Alexander Godunov, who had once belonged to the Moscow Ballet, was sheer poetry in motion.

I'll look forward to seeing that again for the next two nights.

Most def.

 

 

How did I know my Fabulous Faustina date night had gone exceedingly well?

My sweet little car joined in with the universe to tell me.

Oh, yes -  215215 - an odometer reading to catch my eye and thrill my spirit!

How lovely to know I was right place, right time!

i thank You, God!

droppin' science for christmas

This year, I'm doing something a little different for Christmas.

Rather than give toys or clothes, I'm giving ornaments to the under-18 bunch of nephews, niece, and greats.

In addition, the great-niece in Louisville will be receiving gifts to share with her classmates.

I'm presenting Ally with chemistry.

I have had a bag full of National Chemistry Week items, saved specifically for her from SERMACS last year, in the living room closet, waiting.

No longer will they languish!

I've packed every bit of it into a $21 Priority Mail box and sent it to her.

As well as those ChemCatchers, she'll have the magical self-inflating balloons, kits for making uv-detecting armbands, colorful pencils, and a fine selection of stickers featuring Minni-Mole and her friends!

Perfect fun for sixth-graders!

Plus, there are the "Saving Savannah's Water" activity books from the City of Savannah and the 2019 NCW "Celebrating Chemistry" activity books!

I'm sure her science teacher is going to love these, too -

especially as I've included enough for next year's class!

That's because I had some intended for the Asbury Angells youth group, but that program has changed.

What was that about a Christmas ornament for that active great-niece?

Well, she's getting a Fish of Many Colors!

You know, like the Coat of Many Colors that was mentioned in Dolly Parton's song?

It'll be like an inside joke between me and her!

(smile!)

The fish is felt, so it won't break if the dog knocks it off the tree.

(smile!)

As for me, I've been pretty busy on this first Faustina Friday date night of December!

After the Post Office, I was off to "Half-Brothers", a fairly silly, brand-new, guy movie that featured a lot of different US locales.

That was wonderful!

Then I popped over to Dickey's for some barbeque and happened upon their Cue-ban sandwich - 

mighty tasty treat!

Especially when followed up with pecan pie!

Now, I'm off to "Die Hard" for the first time this weekend -

yippee-ki-yay, y'all!

(smile!)

so very not the elf you are looking for

I am so having fun looking for elves!

This may not have been a viable source, but it sure tickled my fancy! 

Yes, that's Sam Beckett on the left, as an acrobat in a circus act.

The young woman in the middle is the sister, with dad there in the brown checkered bathrobe.

For the first time in a while, I had caught "Quantum Leap" and it offered me three episodes, all in a row on one night, that are favorites.

Those would be: Sam as a mortician solving the death of an 18-year-old German girl; him as a elderly black pool player (with failing sight) shooting to save his granddaughter's budding blues club; and him as a tights-clad high wire artist.

I very much liked those latter two, of course, as he was showing off his body in both of them.

Thanks, Comet TV.

Right time, right place!

I just need to remember the new schedule starts an hour later and goes for two extra hours.

 

And this is how I finished up the night: with "A Christmas Story" from the year that gave me two nieces and one nephew.

They're all 37 years old now and so is it.

That would mean Ralphie is 45.... hahahaha!

And, yes, that person in the red tunic is dressed in an elfish style, but his mannerisms are off the mark.

Definitely an ogre in elf's clothing!

(smile!)

elves a-plenty and two tall trees!

See what I mean about elves?

There's the elf-who-would-be-dentist, right behind Yukon Cornelius and the 'Bomble.

Then, in the back right section is his boss elf and the tall elf.

How good to see them out, brightening my living room and reminding me of the month!

My post-its on the kitchen cabinet help me track day of the week, but they don't serve for time of the year.

My holiday scene was set up last night, actually, prompted by the annual airing of "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer" - which I caught, as I had no recitals to attend!

What's that saying about one door closing and another being opened?

Silver linings - they are definitely out there, waiting to be recognized for the little miracles they are.

After all, who would have expected the 'Bomble to be so helpful for decorating a tall tree?

Speaking of television events I was home to enjoy during this pandemic: tonight I watched the "88th Annual Christmas Special Live From The Rockefeller Center".

I'm pretty sure it's been years since I did that, certainly a long time.

And I watched the entire two hours of it, too.

That means I saw the very cute sketch between Dolly Parton and Jimmy Fallon - quite funny!

I gloried in hearing Earth, Wind, & Fire on the air waves again!

And I absolutely enjoyed the singing and dancing of The Temptations!

Plus, I learned about this tree.

The one this year is 75-feet tall - that's equivalent to a dozen 6-foot alligators placed end to end - wow!

As for the lights, there are more than fifty thousand illuminating it with a blaze of glory!

Hallelujah!!!

That truly made my heart glad and made me feel blessed to see it.

Right time, right place.

But there was more to come to make my spirits bright!

"The Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes" was well-worthy of its adjective!

The first number had them as tap-dancing reindeer with magnificent racks - yes, the ones on their heads!

And, yes, I had to make that joke!

Fond memories of the Crazy Horse Paris burlesque show that I saw in Las Vegas in 2010 sprang to mind - oh, such good times!

 

And as much as I enjoyed that number, as well as the dancing gaily-wrapped candies bit that came next, the most amazing was this one: Toy Soldiers On Parade.

Proof positive that flesh does not have to be bared to make an eye-catching, heart-stopping dance routine that will linger forever in the memory of children of all ages.

No wonder folks in the past have made this a family tradition - and will do so again, in years to come.

I know that many consider the arms-locked, synchronized kick-dancing to be their signature move, and I'll grant that made for a very fine finale, especially with the fireworks onstage behind them - very fine!

But, for me, that slow-motion, dominoes falling, collapse of the line of soldiers after the cannon fired...

that was sheer artistry.

I'm so glad the numbers had been recorded at previous shows to grace us this year.

i thank You, God.